Tuesday, Oct. 1, 1963
University Daily Kansan
Page 7
HRC Backs Voluntary Fraternity Integration
(Second of a Three-Part Series)
By Fred Frailey
Administrative pressure forcing fraternities to accept Negroes is not the way to solve discriminatory practices in Greek houses, the chairman of the Human Rights Committee believes.
But Frank Thompson, Iola senior and chairman of the HRC, is quick to say his committee also opposes discriminatory practices that exist in fraternities and sororites at KU.
Thompson's committee introduced a "Declaration of Human Rights" to the ASC last week. The proposed legislation results from a survey
A. W. Kuchler, professor of geography has received a $20,500 grant from the National Science Foundation to prepare an international bibliography of vegetation maps.
Geography Professor Receives Study Aid
The five-year grant will enable Prof. Kuchler to list most, if not all, of the known vegetation maps in the reference work. He will engage the help of collaborators throughout the world.
At present, Pref. Kuchler expects the bibliography to be printed in three volumes. It will be published here.
Prof. Kuchler, on leave in the current academic year, also is preparing a vegetation map of the United States and research papers to be presented at two international congresses of scientists next summer.
made last spring by the HRC on civil rights attitudes of students.
THE BILL outlines a statement of policy on human rights which encompasses almost every aspect of University life.
Because the bill makes only vague reference to the University's present compliance with all but a few of the policy statements, it was returned to the ASC's committee of committees and legislation for style changes. The bill will come before the student governing body again next
The bill will come before the student governing body again next Tuesday.
ONE SIX-SECTION segment of the HRC's bill concerns human rights in student organizations and advocates that:
- The HRC work with organizations having discriminatory clauses in obtaining removal of such restrictions.
- No incoming group whose constitution discriminates on race or national origin be recognized in the University.
- Existing organizations having discriminatory clauses inform prospective members that such restrictions exist.
- Efforts to eliminate discriminatory practices be made through education and moral persuasion by the HRC and individual students.
- The ASC uphold the right of any group to select members without restrictions on race, religion or national origin, but disapprove of forcing a social group to accept any person if it does not wish.
Thompson, who is a fraternity member, says these provisions are realistic because they are "within the realm of possibility" and because they are generally in accord with student feeling as expressed in the HRC's survey.
New Dean to Be Introduced
Joseph W. McGuire, new dean of the KU School of Business, will be presented to the student body for the first time at 7:30 p.m. today in the Jayhawk Room of the Kansas Union.
The Society for the Advancement of Management (SAM) is sponsoring the program. Dean McGuire will express his impressions and expectations of the School of Business.
But he says the section on ASC disapproval of forcing organizations to accept unwanted persons does not represent approval of discriminatory practices.
"THE BILL MAKES it quite clear that we believe racial discrimination is an injury to persons affected and a detriment to the welfare of our society." Thompson says.
"But to tell a fraternity to pledge a Negro is not the kind of thing we want to do. Neither is it the wish of the student body. As the bill states, we feel it better to end discriminatory practices through persuasion."
Thompson also points out that the bill does not represent an attempt to disrupt fraternity traditions.
"If somebody gets the idea that the HRC wants to eliminate the 'black ball' system or the system of rushing, they are mistaken," he says.
THOMPSON believes a Negro will be pledged in a white fraternity within six years. He says his prediction is based on gradual changes in attitudes of KU students and on impressions gained from talks with fraternity leaders.
"If fraternities are to cooperate with student government in eliminating discriminatory practices, it is only fair that they know our purpose is not the destruction of fraternities but the destruction of discrimination."
"Only a few years ago, almost every fraternity at KU had clauses in their constitutions exempting Negroes from membership," he said. "Now only one fraternity has such a clause. Not many years ago, Jews were widely discriminated against by fraternities. Now they are accepted into most of them.
sonal instead of institutional."
"The real leaders of the fraternity system here want to pledge a qualified Negro into a good fraternity to prove that the discrimination is per-
EVEN IF IT wished, would the ASC have the power to force integration of Greek houses? Thompson doubts that it would.
"Chancellor Wescoe has reminded us that all authority rests eventually with the State Board of Re-
regents. The University administration is not bound to follow the legislation of the ASC, and in turn the administration is responsible to the regents.
"So the authority of the ASC to issue such an ultimatum would be shaky."
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